The Anti-Villain | Robin Love Story

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This was a scene I wanted to add to the Revolution episode but it didn't fit and I scrapped the episode, so I decided to make this idea into a fluffy little drabble.

~Pet

~~~

Robin looks miserable as he sits hunched on the couch in the common room of the Titans Tower. His skin is wrinkled and saggy, hair thin and gray, and his body shook with fatigue just from walking a few steps. He's just slouched there, staring out the window and letting out a rattling breath on every exhale.

My footsteps intertwine with the concerning breathing pattern of the Boy Wonder to create a symphony of worry as I pace back and forth behind the couch. Since Mad Mod stole Robin's youth to return his own, the other Titans have been scouring the twisted city for him. And I've been left here to make sure he doesn't croak. The thought alone makes my stomach twist.

My pacing comes to a halt and I round the side of the sofa. I squat down beside the frail, old hero. The usual smell of hair-gel that surrounds him is buried under the scent of old man.

"Robin?" I try to make my voice sound soft, but it's not exactly my forte. "How are you doing?" He lets out a quiet groan of discontent but otherwise says nothing. "Is... there anything I do for you? Get you something to eat or drink?" Again, he just groans.

A sigh leaves my lips as I stand to my full height. My eyes dart around the large open room as I try to find someway to distract Robin from his miserable state until the others get back. It's probably best to keep him away from superhero stuff at the moment so that wipes a lot of stuff off the list. The only thing that sticks out as a distraction is the tv remote sitting on the end of the couch.

I grab the hunk of plastic and circuitry and switch the tv on. Almost immediately it feels like a bad idea. A loud action film with lots of explosions in the background and the protagonist dramatically dipping his love interest to kiss her bursts onto the massive window-screen. Robin lets out a sad wheeze and I quickly flip to another channel.

A spy film pops up next, followed by a martial art tournament and an Indiana Jones-esque adventure film. It honestly feels like the universe is trying to kill Robin off with sadness. With each new channel I switch to he lets out another kicked-puppy whine and sinks further into the couch.

Then finally I land on something safe. Fishing. A relived sigh leaves me and as much as I want to flop onto the sofa, the jostling might break Robin. I look down at the old man beside me and I feel sick. His face is even droopier and he's so hunched over that he's practically turned into a circle.

I sit the remote down beside his hand and let out a sigh. This isn't working he's only getting more upset. Before I even have to pull out my communicator to call for help, a little old couple appears on screen. They're talking to the host of the fishing show. Both of them are squishy and wrinkly and sat in rocking chairs on their porch. Unlike Robin, both of them have smiles on their faces. The old woman is leaning against her husband—as much as she can given the armrests in the way—and they're holding hands.

A lightbulb pops up over my head and my lips twitch up into a smile. My eyes turn (f/c) as an illusion cloaks me. I lean back to sit on the couch beside Robin—my knees creaking as I do. Slowly as to not make him jump or anything, I grab his frail hand in my own wrinkled one. Naturally his fingers curl around mine but it takes him a second to notice a difference. His eyes widen and his jaw drops a little as he turns to look at me. It's the same surprised expression he usually makes, just on a much older face.

"Hypno, you're..."

"Don't call me old." I huff as I look back towards the window-screen. "This was just to make you feel better." Robin squeezes my hand and I can see a small, fond smile come to his face from the corner of my eye.

I lean back against the couch and get comfortable as Robin picks up the remote in his free hand and begins to channel surf. A weird feeling of nostalgia builds in my chest as I stare at the side of Robin's wrinkled face. We were literally in this same position just this morning. Either way, I lean towards Robin so I can lay my head on his bony shoulder as he mindlessly flicks through channels.

~~~

"Hypno," a voice says, cutting through the fogginess that's clouding my head. I guess I fell asleep, so the illusion's gone. "Hypno?" My eyes flutter open and I see Robin—proper, not old Robin—staring down at me with a grin on his face.

A happy hum leaves me and I close my eyes again to snuggle further into the Boy Wonder's side. "You're back."

"Yeah. Hypno?" I open my eyes again and Robin pulls me closer by slipping an arm around my waist. "Thank you."

"It was nothing." Once again I snuggle closer, practically putting myself in his lap to continue sleeping. Before I can close my eyes though, Robin speaks again.

"You know, I actually really like the thought of seeing you like that again in the future." My face heats up and I can even feel my ears burning. I press my face into Robin's neck, causing him to let out a chuckle that I feel rumble in his chest.

"...I do too."